This description relates to bead-based analysis of a sample.
To obtain all the useful information in a sample of whole blood of a patient for purposes of diagnosis, for example, requires not only a complete blood count (CBC) of the various types of blood cells in the blood sample and their hemoglobin content but also a chemical analysis of other components in the acellular portion of blood (e.g., the plasma). Such other components can include molecules and ions of various kinds.
Traditionally, both a CBC and a chemical analysis of blood are performed in a lab on large expensive machines using tubes of venous blood obtained by phlebotomy. Hours or days may be required for the chemical analysis to be completed and the results returned.